Quoted By:
>camping a day's walk from the start of the trail at Blackheath in the blue mountains
>end of summer so still hot
>open my second water container, still a drought at this point so I'm starting to think of all the people that perished walking down here over the years
>they usually the sort to come down with thongs and a snickers so I'm probably fine
>the next day still thinking on heading back if I can't find some water to boil
>walk about three hours with the intent to pack it in at lunch if I can't find some water to at least boil
>trail is rough, no signs it's been used in years. Might not even be a trail.
>see an old tin shed right up against the cliff
>figure it might be an old miner's shed or something
>chained shut but the wood is so delicate that the doors come open with nearly no resistance when I was testing it
>it's a cave that goes right into the side of the cliffs
>this is good because everyone knows cave water is the best thing you can drink
>have a decent head lamp and back up torch so there is no chance that I'll get lost and die like in the catacombs
>about 50m into the cave there's a sharp drop and an old pitted iron ladder
>test it out and it's solid like the cave has grown around it over the years
>can't see the bottom, it's an awkward squeeze to get on to the ladder
>start climbing down
>and down
>feels like the longest ladder in the world and get a touch of vertigo when I realize how deep the hole was
>take pic related with my backup spotlight - it felt a lot longer when I was on it
>the cave opened up a bit at this point so make my whey down
>stalactites and intricate lattice formations as far as the eye can see
>notice that's farther than my dim headlight should allow
>turn it off
>there's a light source down here!
>from around the curve of the path ahead there is a definite green glow and a faint sound
>doesn't look like it's just the other side of the cave and daylight, it's moving
>it's moving in this direction
